Sunshine
by Mint Mochi
Summary: After an immense turn in Selene's relationship with Shadow, will Shadow pull his act together and rebuild the broken friendship between the two? Or will it forever be crushed? Sequel to Moonlight.
1. Chapter 1: Problems Arising

**Sunshine**

**By Leaf the Earth Guardian**

**Chapter 1**

Liquid sun reflected on the surface of calm waters, pink cherry blossoms continuously falling down in like little boats, staying afloat. Over the stone square stepping stones perfectly aligned in the pond stood a black and red male hedgehog, his eyes dark with a twist of crimson, weighing down heavy in regret. _I knew it was a bad idea to start off with…Selene is more sensitive than most girls that I've met. _He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes through his reflection, anger burning inside. _It's my fault she's hurt herself! I have to do something to gain our friendship back…but what? After all that's happened, I bet she won't even look at me anymore._ Shadow made his way over the stepping stones and onto a mossy cement path, surrounded by rocks and sprouting grass.

"Shadow," a high voice echoed from a remote part of the trail, followed by clicking of high heeled shoes. "There you are."

The ruby striped hedgehog stood dead in his tracks, his body growing tense as the girl made herself noticed. She was a sun-golden hedgehog with sky blue eyes, her hair curled and shining with health. Her voice sounded rather familiar, but…it was hard to recall where he'd heard it before. The golden hedgehog was adorned in a blue tank top that matched her eyes and cut off at her golden stomach, and wore navy blue skinny jeans that wrapped around her figure; and, like noted before, she was wearing orange heels.

"Who are you?" Shadow asked, shaken by her sudden appearance.

"Ah, perhaps you may not know," she smiled, her face darkening mischievously. Now she was just about a foot away from the male, her orange perfume overpowering the floral scents of the garden. "I'm Aurora, Selene's sister."

Panicked by this information, Shadow jumped back as he realized that he could have put a bad impression on one of Selene's family members. "I-I'm sorry," he looked down in regret, "About what happened to your sister. How is she doing?"

"Well, if it wasn't for your stupid moves, she wouldn't be in the hospital," Aurora trailed off in rage, but caught herself and backed up into a friendlier position, attempting to stay on subject. "She's doing okay, but I think you should avoid her for now. If she sees you she'll be miserable all over again."

"Ah, okay."

"Why did you dance with Tori anyways?" Aurora questioned curiously.

"I had no other choice," Shadow puffed as he closed his eyes, "She put the pressure all on me, with her little followers threatening me to grant all of her wishes. Only if Selene would understand…"

* * *

><p>Selene's eyes opened, her vision first blurry, taking a few blinks to get it straightened and sharp. She was in a white room, with a closed door on the opposite side of her. There was a tube taped around her arm, connected to a bag a quarter full of blood. Her wrists were heavily bandaged, even though there was a slight red at the surface to show it wasn't enough. She had barely recalled what had happened the night before: the dance, Shadow, Tori, and attempting to take her own life away. Her deep indigo eyes shifted to the bag of blood, pondering upon who the kind donor was.<p>

The door flew open, her sister standing in the doorway, her eyes sparkling with joy. "You're okay, Selene!" she chirped, hastening over to her side and hugging her tightly. "I was so worried! Please don't _ever_ do that again!"

"I won't," Selene smiled weakly, overfilled with joy. Not even a hug back could describe how she felt to see her sister again, and how horrible she felt for after all she had done. "Thanks Aurora."

"Not a problem. Do you need anything at the moment?" the blonde hedgehog asked, flushing with cheers.

"Whose blood is that?" Selene pointed at the bag which hung over the side, "And also, I'd like a donut please," she requested politely, sinking down into the covers.

"Sure thing," Aurora gazed at Selene, her face brightening, "I feel pitiful to say this, but, that's Shadow's blood. He decided he owed you something after last night." The hedgehog whipped around and closed the door, leaving the silver one awestruck.

_Shadow…but why? He clearly likes Tori; there is absolutely no doubt about that. I don't understand though, why me? Does he really care for me? _Selene shifted upward, leaving the warm print that she had been lying on for hours. _I don't understand._ Her face darted to the door as her sister walked in, a chocolate and rainbow-sprinkled donut resting on a paper plate, getting ready to be devoured. Aurora placed the plate on the covers, watching gladly as Selene munched on it, a satisfied expression on her pale face.

"How long will I have to stay here?" Pink, yellow, and blue sprinkles fell off of Selene's face as she asked, landing on the bed, giving her a slight guilty feeling.

"You'll have to stay here overnight," Aurora frowned, "and…unfortunately mom told me that I have to go home at around 10, so you would be here all by yourself. I hope you don't mind."

"It can't be that bad." Selene lied; for all she could know, doctors can be a bit fearing. Oh well, it wasn't like she could change anything anyways, what's done is done, no matter what her opinion is about it.

"Good to know, I wouldn't want my little sister to panic," Aurora winked, "I'll be back in about an hour. See you later!"

* * *

><p>The sun set behind the ocean, the horizon bursting with a ginger color. The coast was empty, atop the cliff edges were long wisps of dark green grass, waving along with the wind. Shadow trotted among the edges, glancing at the fantastic view of the waves crashing against the cliff, tossing a large wall of saltwater upwards. <em>Would the cliff ever give out, or will it always be able to take harsh hits? <em>The black and red furred hedgehog's quills moved at the rate of the wind, the light on them shining in different directions.

"SHADOW!" a voice squealed, followed by the male being tackled down to the ground. "I was wondering where you were! I missed you so much…"

"Get off of me!" Shadow snarled at the girl, who, following his command, forced herself off of him. The hedgehog got up to meet face-to-face to an auburn female fox with dark hair and blonde highlights in them. Her golden eyes sparkled madly from him noticing her. "Oh, it's _you._"

"I'm glad you noticed," the fox pushed her straightened hair, attempting to make it look more shiny and blinked passionately, her dark brown eye shadows revealing.

"What do you want from me, Tori? You already got your way with the whole dance," Shadow huffed, "and that's it."

"No, it's not. The dance was just a warm up," Tori scoffed, "From now on you're going to be my _boyfriend_," the brunette giggled insanely.

Shadow's eyes narrowed, disgusted by the bronzed fox's plan. He backed up in antipathy, frowning. "No way," he retorted, "I don't even _like_ you, you're a horrible person! You shouldn't mess with someone's feelings like you did before, _especially_ Selene's."

"So you're implying that you love Selene?" Tori said, her eyes looking at him grotesquely. By now, anger was flushing through her face, as she was preparing to go into full attack mode.

Shadow paused for a moment. _I, I mean…I do like her, she's an amazing person…I guess I _do_ love her. But if I tell Tori that, she'd crush poor Selene. _"Well, I can't say _that_-"

"Okay, done, we're officially going out," Tori grasped Shadow's arm, who, in return, kept his face blank as he knew that fighting her would be no use. "And when you're around me, I do not want to hear anything of Selene, okay?" she tapped his pointy black nose and smiled. Shadow coughed, causing her to flinch. "Well, I have to go. See you!"

_Thank goodness she's FINALLY GONE._

* * *

><p>Selene was resting peacefully under the bleached covers of the hospital bed, her face calmly set down in the fluffy pillow. Almost all the blood in the plastic bag was drained; Selene was slowly recovering but still too weak to go home. Aurora was seated, checking through her phone, every once in a while poking her head up to see if her sister was awake.<p>

"Aurora," Selene whispered, as if she were speaking her very last breath of her life.

"Yes?" Aurora scurried to Selene's side with a concerned face, holding her sister's hand dearly, "What is it?"

"Can I have another donut?" Selene whimpered.

"Oh you," Aurora lowered her eyes in relief, "You got me worried there. Sure thing though!"

Selene gazed out the window as Aurora left. The sky was dark, a few stars shining faintly through but wiped from the sky by the high voltage city lights. What a wonderful sight the city at night was! The urban area was never asleep, the buildings vacant during the day and luminously shining at night. Aurora dashed back in with a donut in hand, immediately pushing it into her sister's hands. "Thanks," Selene responded.

"Wow, the city is so pretty at night, isn't it?" Aurora gaped, pressing her face against the window, making it a bit foggy. "I've always wanted to roam the streets at night. The city lights are so wonderful! I love living here in Selstice City, it's full of beauty!"

"I know," Selene alleged. If only her strict parents allowed her to explore the entire city had to offer instead of trapping her in a villa that some may think is heaven, but for her, opposite. "It's almost ten by the way…"

"Wow, time flies by," Aurora gasped, "I'd better be getting on my way home." The yellow hedgehog made her way to the silver one's bed side and hugged her sister tightly. "Good night, Selene."

"'Night Aurora," Selene hugged tightly, depressed that she would be spending an entire night away from her family, something she had never done before; not even sleepovers or camping trips. Aurora walked to the door, spun around to wave a last good bye, opened the door, switched the light off, and finally shut the door behind her.

It was now utterly shadowed in the hospital room; the only light source was the moon, which was casting a pale shine on the surfaces of the place. Selene moved to the side away from the window, forcing her eyes shut. _You can get through this night, Selene. You'll survive… _The room itself was muted, not a single sound stirring through to disturb her; yet the awkward silence made the hedgehog panic. This night would be a sleepless one for sure, whether Selene preferred it or not.


	2. Chapter 2: The Beach

**Chapter Two**

The sunshine sparkled down onto Selene's bed sheets, the white hedgehog waking up from her deep slumber. She sat upright and stretched her arms outward, letting out a small yawn. The female noticed the tube of blood was now disconnected from her arm, and if she deemed it, she could run out of the hospital, yelling from the top of her lungs that she was free. If that were the case though, she would probably be tackled down by authorities since she was wearing a thin, white fabric set of pajamas provided by the hospital. The clock above the door read exactly nine o'clock. By now Aurora would be getting herself over there to attend Selene.

After a while of waiting, Aurora swung the door open, a large plastic bag slung over her shoulder. She squealed, running to her sister's side. "Selene, you can leave today!" she shouted, her hand reaching into the bag, "I got you some new clothing that I think will look absolutely _fabulous_ on you."

_Aurora and clothing, always a must. _"Oh, thank you," Selene smiled, pushing the covers off the bed. She stepped down on the ground, her legs shaking with weakness, and grabbed the clothing from Aurora. Selene slipped the black tank top on, followed by a new set of dark skinny jeans and black heel-cut shoes with white tips and white rubber soles.

Selene and her sister left the room the silver hedgehog had stayed in and trotted past the waiting room, where several Mobians were seated. When Selene stepped into the sunlight, her glossy silver quills began to luster. _It's so warm out today, but it's actually somewhat relaxing. _Aurora unlocked her small silver car, Selene padding to the side and hopping in. The golden hedgehog shoved the key in and twisted, the rusty engine roaring.

"Rentals," she whispered to herself, applying force onto a green button. The vehicle floated a few feet off the ground, backed up, and dashed out of the parking lot. "So, mom's allowing me to treat you _extra _special today. Do you want to go anywhere?" Aurora questioned.

Selene sunk in her seat, resting her black and white shoes on the dashboard. Nothing felt worse than having a heap of attention on you when your sister buys you a century supply of clothes. "No, not really…" she trailed off, playing with her long hair.

"You sure?" her sister raised her eyebrow, steering into the woods. "I was thinking…maybe to go to the beach or someplace sunny. I'm dying to get a tan this summer." Aurora's eyes darkened, hating how pale she was. The gates opened, the car driving into the large garage and parking.

"Where would you want to go?" Selene smiled weakly, trying to cheer her sister up. The golden hedgehog brushed past Selene and walked down the hallway, into the modern living room, flopping down on the couch. _Come on Aurora, cheer up. You didn't have to stay in a hospital all night._

Aurora slumped her arms behind her, one hand rustling through her orange hair, sighing. "My friends were planning to go to the beach today anyways. Mom told me that I should bring you somewhere that _you _wanted to go," Aurora moaned, her icy blue eyes shifting towards her sister's indigo ones.

"To be honest, Aura, I don't have anything to do today." the silver one's eyes lowered, her hands joining together behind her back. "I'll go to the beach with you; I know how important your friends are to you."

Aurora's lips pursed a 'D' shape, the yellow one running over and hugging her sister again. "Thank you thank you thank you!" she squealed, bouncing around, "You don't know how much that means to me. You're the best Selene, really, you are!"

_Sure I am._

* * *

><p>Aurora parked the car, exiting. The blonde was wearing a sky blue bikini that matched her eyes, white polka dots on the fabric. A white towel slung over her shoulder and a pair of pilot sunglasses rested in her silky hair. Selene exited behind her, wearing a teal hoodie and baggy jeans. She did wear a bikini under her apparel just in case Aurora wanted her to swim in the water, but that was her <em>last <em>resort.

Turquoise waves rolled onto the beige sand where hundreds of Mobians were spread across, resting on their beach towels, the sun glowing on their backs. There were a few volleyball courts on the beach, crowded with teens; Selene knew that Aurora _loved_ playing volleyball with her friends, a sport that Selene always feared. I mean, who would want to risk getting crushed by the ball?

Selene trailed behind her sister, who caught up with a bunch of her friends who were occupying one of the volleyball courts. They huddled, leaving Selene out, who sat down in the soft sands and gazed at the ocean. _I wonder if there is such thing as the 'Ocean Shrine'._

The Ocean Shrine was said to be a legendary location where rare species of Mobians lived, such as dolphins, sharks, fish, squid…unfamiliar phrases to modern Mobians. Legend states that an everyday Mobian, a tiger, rules the Ocean Shrine; once a month she would submerge to visit the 'airy' world. _Fat chance, Selene._

"Hey, Selene, you wanna play volleyball with us?" one of Aurora's friends invited, "It would be more fun if you joined!"

Her cheeks turning pink, Selene nodded. She had never been _asked_ to join a game. The smiling silver hedgehog scrambled up, wiping the sand off of her jeans, and hastened over. The girl that requested Selene was sorting out teams, dividing the Mobians into two groups. She gently shoved Selene into Aurora's group.

"Selene," Aurora smiled sheepishly, "you need to take off the expensive clothes I bought for you and wear your bikini. That way your pants and jacket won't wear."

The silver hedgehog's pink cheeks turned cherry red as she pulled off her jacket and slipped down her pants. Although Selene now appeared as part of the group, she felt nervous about how much body she was showing.

A yellow lynx with light pink highlights hustled next to Selene and stuck out her gloveless hands in front of the silver hedgehog. "If you're going to hit the ball, you want the ball to hit the spot where your palm meets your wrist, see?" Her slim fingers rubbed against the area, then returned to her sides. "Sometimes, a team member will 'set' a ball for you, so you'll have to jump up and spike it. Pretty much you just spread your fingers apart and hit with the palm of your hand as hard as you can. You'll get the hang of volleyball if you try," the lynx's high voice chirped. "Good luck!"

"Thank you," Selene replied as she walked close to the net.

There were way too many Mobians on the court, but nobody seemed to mind. The ball was served over the net and charged down at her; she thrust the ball upwards, where the lynx she had talked to earlier made a large leap and smashed the ball into the sand on the other side of the court. The other side served again, another Mobian setting the ball; this time, it was for Selene to spike. Selene sprung up, driving the ball straight into another player. _This is much easier than I expected! _The game kept going on for hours on end…

* * *

><p>It was around six o'clock; the sky was a lovely orange color, the liquid sun glinting on the surface of the calm ocean waters. Selene had been playing for a while now, yet she was still bursting with energy. Sweat was rolling down her face, determined to keep going. A majority of Aurora's friends were resting on the sidelines, cheering the others on.<p>

"Selene, you should probably take a break," Aurora insisted, pulling her sister off the court. "If you walk a few blocks from away from the beach, you can go buy yourself a shake." Aurora shoved a five dollar bill into Selene's hands, ramming her away from the area her friends were hanging out.

"Aurora, there's a point where there's _enough_," Selene stormed down the street, still wearing just a bikini and sandals. It didn't really make her noticeable, since almost every Mobian was in their swimwear. She made her way into a beverage shop, where she paid the cashier, receiving a chocolate shake. She sat down, enjoying her sister's treat.

* * *

><p>The sun set behind the ocean, the sky turning violet and the clouds turning a romantic pink. The streets were somewhat silent, the sidewalk lighted with tall lanterns, leading Selene back to the beach. Selene took a turn in a side alley that she was sure would lead her back to the beach where she came from, using it as a shortcut. She walked for about five minutes, having an unpleasant feeling churning in her stomach. <em>No turning back now, the ocean is straight ahead.<em> As she reached the open, Selene was shocked. _I'm at the wrong place! I turned too early! _

Ahead of her was a wooden dock where boats were nestled to the side, rocking back and forth on the waves. Selene walked forward, thinking that if she went out further, she could see where Aurora and the rest of her gang were at. She walked past several boats, a horrible tobacco stench surrounding her. Footsteps chimed through her ears, causing the silver hedgehog to hasten to the edge of the dock, which had a perfect view of the ocean. _Calm down, Selene, it could just be someone going back to the streets. _The footsteps behind her picked up speed just like Selene, who ran right to the edge. She spun around, wanting to scream.

A gray dog wearing a sailor's uniform and a cigarette resting on his lip grinned down at her, showing his imperfect teeth. "Looks like you lost your way, eh? Tryin' to get back to the beach? I can give ya'll a ride there, but it'll cost 'ya."

"Stay away from me," Selene hissed, "or I'll scream."


	3. Chapter 3: Mysteries

**Chapter Three**

"Scream and I'll…" the gray dog compromised for a while, then switched his focus back to the silver hedgehog. His face inched closer to Selene's, his hand reaching for the switchblade in his back pocket, "I'll cut 'ya up. Don't 'ya think you can be off swimmin' either, ya'll just be carried away to the middle of the freezin' ocean where ya'll drown. Now, what'll it be?" The aged dog puffed into her face, causing Selene to cough violently.

_Shadow, help me! _Selene's eyes grew teary, as she knew that no one would be able to hear her. Whatever this 40-year-old sailor was going to do to her, there was no point in fighting back.

"Hey, what are you up to?" a dark, elegant voice inquired. Behind the sailor was a young woman, about a year older than Selene, walking down the dock, her high heels clicking on the old wood. The woman had a very feminine figure, her steps appearing as if she was doing a cat walk. The character's tail swung back and forth as she grew closer, her appearance revealing. The girl was a tiger; white skin, turquoise fur, dark blue hair, ocean blue eyes, and stripes all over. Like Selene, she was wearing a swim suit; however, she left a body of water rather recently, for her fur and hair was shining vibrantly. She wore rubber thigh-length boots and similar rubber gloves that stretched to her shoulders. A black leather collar was strapped around her neck, a raindrop-shaped charm chained onto it.

"Why, me got's a fine looking woman over 'ere now," the dog turned a bit, raising his eyebrows. He approached her, the tiger's eyes narrowing as he came closer. "Now, what'd be your name, you mighty fine sea flower?"

The tiger charged her fist straight into the sailor's aged face, sending him a few feet down the dock, right in front of Selene's feet. Distressed, he covered his eye up as the tiger walked to his restless body, pressing her heel into his chest. She bent down to his face and smirked. "Next time you feel like picking up a girl with no charge, be careful not to do it by the ocean." She snatched his cigarette from his mouth and put her boot down to her side. The sailor scrambled to his feet and sprinted back to the mainland.

"Th-thank you," Selene muttered, shaken by the fact that she was rescued. Without the tiger's help, her life would have taken a colossal change.

"No problem, hon." The tiger squeezed the cigarette butt between her thumb and index finger. "Airy Mobians, I tell you, most of them don't seem to have a heart."

_Airy Mobians, where have I heard that term before? _Selene staggered, blinking at the tiger. "M-miss, are you by any chance…the ruler of the Ocean Shrine?" The hedgehog worried deeply about how the tiger would respond, considering the way she acted towards the sailor.

"You Airy Mobians call me a _ruler_?" the tiger hooted. "A _ruler_! I am no sort of _ruler_, girl." The tiger took a moment to catch her breathe from her outburst. "I am Mizu the Water Guardian, I _live _in the Ocean Shrine. Have you ever heard of an _Elemental Guardian?_"

Shuffling nervously, Selene shook her head. "Sorry, I have never heard of such a thing before." This caused the tiger to fall down on the deck, chortling like a psychopath. "It's not my fault; I don't think a lot of people know about them! All I was just trying to do was find a shortcut to Selstice beach, and here I end up with you – some kind of 'Water Guardian'!"

Mizu stood back up, an apologetic expression coming over her. "I'll do a quick talk about the Elemental Guardians. There are seven elements: Water, Air, Earth, Fire, Electricity, Ice, and Darkness. There are eight Guardians, whose names must be kept secret. They make sure that these elements stay in balance, so that Mobius won't have too much of, for example, fire. Easy said? I make sure that there's a balance of water in Mobius."

"Then why do we have floods?"

"It is all about balance; why do we have fires or thunder storms? They all benefit from each other," Mizu said.

"Why should I care about this? I'm just trying to get back to the beach, and suddenly you come out of nowhere, giving me all this information about Elemental Guardians and such! Who even sent you here? Someone must know my location!"

"You asked me who I was," Mizu yawned, "So I gave you a _correct _response. I can't tell you who knows your location, it's strictly confidential. You want to go to the beach now?"

"Yes, do you know the fastest way there?" Selene asked, rather annoyed by the tiger's attitude. Not everyone is a super genius, but Mizu surely acted like it.

"Get in the water," Mizu commanded, aiming her finger at the dark ocean.

Selene plunged into the icy cold water. The water was at an arctic temperature, making the hedgehog's body grow num. "Now what?" she trembled, rubbing her shoulders.

The tiger dove in, propelling herself through the water at lightning speed. She submerged in front of Selene, her necklace beginning to blaze. "I'm going to create a current for you, which will bring you right back to shore; whatever you do, _do not_, and I repeat, _do not fight the current. _You can lose direction and either drown or find yourself in another part of Mobius. I saved you once, there's a slim chance I can save you again," Mizu patted Selene's shoulder, beaming. "The ocean is _huge_."

"Thank you so much," Selene quivered, cuddling Mizu.

"Anytime." The female tiger plunged deep into the sea and sprung up, her body flying over the ocean. Her black high heels began glowing cyan; she landed on the surface of the water as if it were solid ground. Mizu swiped her arm, causing the water in front of Selene to shift. Selene swam forward and into the current, being vacuumed in.

She was below the surface, traveling at immense speed. Her heart pounded against her chest as her lungs began deflating. The adrenaline rush was like that of riding the first drop of a rollercoaster: you can scream as loud as you can, but in your mind you know you can't turn back now. _I…can't…hold…my…breath…any…longer. _Selene forced herself upwards, surfacing. The wheezing hedgehog's indigo eyes shrunk as she realized her feet could not contact the ground. In all directions the cold sea stretched out beyond the horizon. "Maybe if I go under I can find the current again," Selene thought. "If I stay in this water any longer I'm probably going to die." She took a deep breath and went under. She was swept away again, the silver hedgehog pleading for the best. Selene had given up: it was no use. She swam to the surface, tears rolling down her face. The current had brought her to the base of a familiar cliff edge. As if she had thought she had lost her mind, Selene screamed. "SHADOW!"

Her splashes had increased in size, only her arms keeping her afloat. "Help…help me…" her voice vanished as her body sunk into the ocean.

* * *

><p>Pressure was being applied to Selene's chest, pushing out sea water that she had swallowed. A sober echoed through the hedgehog's ears, her indigo eyes shimmering as she opened them to reveal the night sky. <em>I'm alive…but…how? <em>

"Oh, Selene! I thought I would loose you again!"

The golden hedgehog hugged the silver one from behind, cuddling her in a tight embrace. Selene coughed, loosening her sister's squeeze. A wave of emotions splashed over Selene's heart as she reminisced what had happened before. Bitter cold. Warm tears swam down Selene's icy cheeks as she cuddled Aurora in return. "Aurora!" she mewed. Aurora's friends joined the large huddle. _People do care about me. _"Who did it? Who saved me?" Selene pounded her fists into the sand. "I demand an answer!"

"Selene…" Aurora started her chest puffing. "We don't know. We were all hanging out by the fire we made, kicking the volleyball over the fire. One of us kicked it out to the sea, and Gemini chased it. Then she spotted you unconscious by the shoreline." Aurora's I'm-sorry-but-I-have-no-answer eyes reflected the moon, hugging her sister. "Without her, we probably would not have found you in time. I'm so glad you're alive."

Selene sat on her feet, her eyes fixated on the silky sand. _Aren't they even going to wonder how I got in the water? Or are they just grateful that I'm alive? _"Who is Gemini?"

"I am." The friendly golden lynx that assisted Selene in volleyball sifted her way in front of the crowd of Aurora's friends. "I'm sorry, if I showed up sooner, I would have been able to see who your savior was." The lynx shuffled her paws closer together and joined her hands behind her. "Sorry…"

"It's fine, I understand. There's nothing you could have done about it." Selene's glance made her way over to Aurora's. "Can we stay here a bit longer, please? I don't want to go home yet." Aurora agreed. Selene's feet molded footsteps behind her as she walked next to the fire.

Gemini rested next to Selene, her golden eyes poking up at Selene's side. "You're really nice, I hope you realize that. Once you dig below your outer shell, you'll find a heart of gold. I don't find that in many Mobians."

Selene kept gazing at the fire, not believing what she was hearing. "You're nice too." Her head turned, observing the unusual species. "So, your name's Gemini? You must have a twin, am I right?" Gemini was actually represented with two twin brothers, one a mortal and the other immortal.

The lynx's expression darkened. "I _had _a twin. He died at birth." Her golden eyes looked as if they were on the verge of leaking, but she took a deep breath, regaining her strength. "I was originally supposed to be named Rin, and my brother named Len. The poor soul was too weak; his first breath was his last." Gemini's hand clenched her chest as she withheld tears. "I've promised myself that one day, when I die, I'll join him and be reunited with him at last. The way we were meant to be. Like the constellation Gemini."

"Well," Selene sighed, "I'm very sorry that happened to you."

"And you're Selene, the 'moon goddess'?" The lynx's yellow eyes fluttered from the flames. "Our names are based from Greek mythology! How cool! We should hang out soon," Gemini suggested, scratching her black striped and white tipped ears.

Selene agreed. Aurora's friends are not as bad as she had believed at first. It's always best not to judge anyone by their cover, but the only exception was Tori. You could tell she was a bitch from the beginning on. But why should Selene even think about someone as mean as _her? _Especially after she was partially responsible for Selene's near-death; shivers were sent down Selene's spine as she remembered the brown fox's malevolent glare the first time Selene had bumped into her.

"We should go now, Selene. Mom's probably tearing her hair out from stress, and we are probably making her go bald at the moment."

Selene glared at the marvelous scenery once more. The night sky was dyed with indigo and violets, the large moon outshining the vibrant stars surrounding it, all reflected on the calm waters like a mirror. She turned and smiled. _The beach is magnificent._


	4. Chapter 4: A Bit Too Crazy

**Chapter Four**

_"Well, what happened to the girl?" a cloaked figure asked a familiar teal tiger. "What did you do?"_

_ "Well," Mizu started, inhaling. "She, like you predicted, nearly drowned. I really think she's a magnificent girl, you know. I had to pull her to shore, I couldn't just let another good person die." The tiger avoided eye contact with the figure, biting her lip. "I kind of have to blame you why people over the years have become so fearful of water. Especially that Sonic the hedgehog kid. Boy, he can't even let a drop of liquid on the kid's skin before he would dash off hollering." _

_ "There are duties to be fulfilled, Mizu. The world is not exactly fair. I can't help but struggle to see a world where everything has to be so perfect."_

_ "You sound a lot like Vanity when you say that."_

_ The hooded figure spun around and headed another direction, clearly fumed by that word. "Shadow was supposed to save her. Not you. Now I'm sure that I'll never see Si-"_

* * *

><p>Selene sat up, panting. <em>What on Mobius was <em>that? Stroking her forehead with her fingers, she sighed. "Well, that _was _random." _Mizu, Water Guardian? Did she carry me to shore? Perfectly reasonable, no? _The silver hedgehog sprung out of her bed and trotted to the bathroom, her eyes sinking into her pale muzzle. _Must. Wake. Up. _Drowsiness was winning this war. The female slammed her head on the counter, turning on the faucet. "Ughhhhhhhhhh." Selene splashed water over her face, waking herself up. _Mornings suck. _

"Selene! Selene!" Aurora chirped, marching through the bathroom. "Want to go to the mall today?"

_Come on Aurora. _"I'm…really tired," Selene groaned, padding her face with a soft towel. "Sorry." Not allowing Aurora to protest, Selene strolled down the stairs and into the kitchen. The silver hedgehog placed a bowl in front of her, grabbing a box of cereal. Her stomach swelled as she poured her cereal. _I'm not that hungry for some reason…_

After finishing her cereal, the hedgehog changed into a black t-shirt and surfer shorts. She headed outdoors and hastened through the forest. Eventually the pale-skinned female wandered through lush forest and found herself by a lakebed dotted with long grasses. Selene slid onto the pebble floor, observing the large stretch of calm water. The lake was so large that the trees in the distance were very weak in color and shielded by the morning fog. _That dream…was it real? _The hedgehog shut her eyes and grunted. Realizing her distraction, Selene glared at the lake. _Seriously, though? Why am I still worried about Shadow? He's an idiot!_

* * *

><p>Shadow darted through the mall, a list of supplies he needed wrinkled up between his gloved fingers. Grabbing a shopping cart, Shadow ran through the isles, picking up all sorts of food. Finding himself by the refrigerated section, the dark character faced one of life's most difficult challenges: what kind of butter to buy. <em>Fuuuuuu. Why does butter have to be so expensive? <em>Growling under his breath, his hand hovered over a golden-wrapped piece, labeled "High Grade Butter" and "Super Tasty." _Damn. What. The. Hell. Of course, butter would always be best if it's high quality, but $5 for a stick? Get out of this world. Stupid butter. _

"SHADOW!" A girl squealed, tackling Shadow down. "Shadow, Shadow, did you miss me? I missed you tons!"

"Get off of me!" Shadow hissed, forcing the crazy girl off of him. _She's insane. _"Can't I have one second of my own time?"

Tori giggled, ignoring Shadow's remark. "Can I borrow some money?" the fox pleaded. "I don't have enough to pay for what I want. Please, it'll just be a bit, 'kay?"

"Fine-"

"THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!" The fox dashed off, rummaging through the isles. She returned with an armful of hygienic goods, tossing them into Shadow's cart. Shadow rolled his eyes and went to the check-out line, handling Tori's items with disrespect. Tori, on the other hand, was that butt-kissing little twat attempting to cuddle up to the hedgehog.

_Oh great, I forgot to buy some damn butter._

* * *

><p>Breaking from her thoughts, Selene widened her eyes, realizing that she had been sitting by the coast for an hour. She got up, running on the small trail that curved through the trees. The female hedgehog had one hand clenched her shirt, the other trailing behind her as she dodged pine trees and other obstacles. She suddenly collided with a body, tipping over and falling over. She squeaked, standing up and squeezing her eyes. "I'm so sorry! Pardon my clumsiness!" Selene squished the black shirt between her fingers as she slowly opened her eyes. As she did, she grew alarmed for who she had hit.<p>

"Grrr…" Shadow groaned, rubbing his head, not paying attention to the girl that had bumped into him.

"Ah!" Selene screamed, standing in place. A drop of sweat rolled down her head as she had no clue what to do. "Erm…"

Shadow's eyes widened as he gazed up to see Selene. "Selene! I-It's you…"

"Oh, so I'm recognizable now, am I now?" the silver hedgehog's eye twitched as she smiled weakly. "After all, you and Tori deserve each other. I'm happy to know my friend has finally found someone that truly loves them for who they are." Her eyes grew glossy as she tried to hold back tears.

"But Selene, wait! It's all a misunderstanding!" Shadow yelled, standing up. "I-I-I don't like Tori. She's really creepy. It seems as if wherever I go, she ends up finding me."

"Why should I believe you?" Selene cried.

"She forced me to dance with her, Selene."

An awkward moment of silence grew between the both of them. The only sound that could be heard was the lake water splashing onto the shore with mini waves that were rather intimidated by real ocean waves. Even a gust picked up, making the tall trees sound like they were cooing. The silver hedgehog lowered her head in defeat.

"I'm sorry, Selene. But…sometimes…you just have to do things that twist up your life. If I didn't hang out with Tori, she would have hurt you. And you're worth protecting over." Shadow walked by Selene's side, sighing. "I wish you can forgive me. Tori had really put a dent in our friendship, didn't she?"

Selene gazed her indigo eyes into Shadow's. She then nodded. "Yeah."

"So, come on. What do you girls call it again…friends forever?" Shadow looked uncertain and puzzled, smiling.

"Friends forever," Selene's lips twisted into a grin. She walked over to Shadow, hugging him.

"SHADOW!"  
>"Fucking limey," Shadow growled under his breath, "Doesn't she have any better place to go?" The two parted as Tori sprinted next to Shadow. The black one's eyes were narrowed as he crossed his arms. "What do you want?"<p>

Tori snatched Shadow's arm and curled her tail in front of his legs defensively. "What is _she _doing here?" the fox hissed, flashing her white teeth. Shadow didn't respond as Tori gazed at Selene, her purple eye shadows darkening as Selene stepped away. "Don't you know that we're together now? Of course, a girl with popularity, also known as muah, should be with any guy she pleases. As for you, Selene; you just feed off of what's left of the guys that I've dated. Except that Shadow and I will be together."

Selene backed off, her ears pinned back. _I can tell Shadow's not admiring Tori's presence. He looks like he's about to rip her head off. _"Sorry," Selene apologized.

"That's more like it," Tori beamed, holding Shadow closer. "Now, run along now. Before I call my brothers."

* * *

><p>The stars were out, like every night. Selene was in her summer pajamas, sweating from the humidity in her room. Opening the windows failed to make a difference, the identical temperature swerving in the girl's room. <em>Shadow…he really didn't mean it, did he? After all this time, it was just a misunderstanding? It's my entire fault, face it. I'm so blind when it comes to sensing the atmosphere. <em>Selene sighed and wrapped her arms around her knees as she rested on the edge of the window._ I wonder if I can call him. I'm pretty sure Tori couldn't jump the fence. _"Shadow…" she whispered. About half a minute later, a black figure dashed across the lawn and climbed up the side of the bricked house, taking a seat on where Selene was.

"What?"

"Now, that's a bit creepy," Selene giggled, "How can you hear me so well?"

"It's nothing complex. You're my _best_ friend. It may seem a bit stalker-ish, but it's psychological when you're bored. So I just stay a bit closer to where you are when you're out and about. I have distinctive hearing. Of course, I don't always follow you. Just on Saturdays and Sundays."

"So now I have to be careful about the crap I say behind your back," Selene teased, poking his blushed cheek. "Aw, come on, Shadow. I can't help myself think of you doing something so uncharacteristic."

"I know, it's just…there's just…something about you that I really…never mind." His eyes lowered as he tried to cover up his emotions. "So…"

"So…" Selene echoed. "You really don't like Tori, do you?"

"More likely that Sonic the hedgehog would be awesome like me. Note that that's impossible," Shadow smirked. "She's just a pain in the ass. I'd do anything to avoid her, but her brothers have grown strong and vicious. Not to attack me, of course, but to attack you. Tori wants you dead. Like she would know what death means."

_Now I feel as fragile as a white rose in a pool of blood. _The silver hedgehog scooted closer and rested her head on the darker one's shoulder. "I'm at-most thankful for your protection. You're a good friend, Shadow."

And there they sat, observing the heavens.


	5. Chapter 5: Shopping with Gemini

**Chapter Five**

A blue-armored soldier sprinted for cover. His armor was scratched and covered in mud. The soldier hid behind a rock, puffing in the foggy air and blindly loading his gun to go in for the element of surprise. A red-armored soldier was approaching; his splashes from the mud could be heard by the blue soldier behind the rock. The blue soldier finally gave up his place behind the rock and began shooting rapidly at the enemy, taking him down. The soldier stayed in place, admiring his victory, when suddenly a bullet rang straight through his head. The last glance the soldier could intake before his death was a red soldier peeking over a cliff edge smiled at his new kill.

"HEADSHOT!" Gemini cheered, fist-pumping. "Who said these first-person shooting games were only for guys? I can kick some ass!" The lynx peeked at her silver hedgehog friend, smiling. "Of course, you were good, too."

Selene lay on her stomach on the carpet, sighing. She pushed the control away from her and rolled on her back. "I'm not that good," Selene exhaled. "Video games have never really been my thing."

"Sorry about that," Gemini frowned. "Oh, I know, let's go to the mall!"

_She's sounded like a long-lost twin of Aurora when she said that. Well, that would be strange, since I am Aurora's twin. _Selene nodded, even though she really would not want to go.

* * *

><p>"Where to first?" Gemini asked, pushing her shades into her blonde hair. "Oh wait – I know the best store ever!" The golden lynx grabbed the silver hedgehog's hand and dragged her friend into a store stocked sky-high with clothing. Selene took a seat as Gemini rummaged through the clothing. She pulled out an indigo dress and gazed at it for about two minutes.<p>

"Gemini, are you okay?" Selene asked, approaching her friend. She nudged the lynx's shoulder, who jumped.

"Oh, sorry about that." Gemini scratched the back of her head, smiling. "You _need_ this dress."

"What?" Selene asked, "I don't have the money!" _Why is she acting so…..strange?_

"Fine! I'll buy it for you," Gemini alleged, heading to the cashier. She was being a bit pushy, very uncharacteristic for the lynx. She pulled out several 20 dollar bills and handed them to the cashier. She ran back to Selene and handed the silver hedgehog a golden bag which held the dress. "There you go, Selene!"

"Thanks, but this really wasn't necessary…" Selene trailed off. Her stomach let out a raging growl. "Can we go get something to eat? I'm starving."

"Sure thing," Gemini chimed, pulling Selene through the store and out the glass-door. Gemini's high heels made loud clicks as she ran across the tiled mall floor. _Why is she always in such a hurry? _Selene struggled to keep up and tripped several times before she finally reached the food court. The hedgehog followed the lynx to a fast food stand where they ordered their meals. Gemini dashed ahead and grabbed a seat, unpacking her lunch. Selene joined her friend, picking out a pack of small fries and a cherry soda.

Gemini peeked at Selene's food in surprise. "Wow, that's not much. Are you sure you'll survive on just that?" She began chewing a burger, still looking concerned.

_Now I'm sure she's related to Aurora. _"Yeah, I'll be fine, don't worry. I have a really small and sensitive stomach. Food like this just doesn't agree with my body. Small proportions are fine, though." Selene dipped a fry into a small ketchup container and nibbled on it. "So, what was up with the dress?" she asked.

Gemini stopped sipping her blackberry soda and placed it down. "Well, I-I think it looks good on you… yeah, it really does!" she laughed. Gemini crossed her legs and took a fry in her hand, a nervous expression on her face. "We should hang out more often. Or go to the beach again!" she smirked.

"Yeah, we should," Selene sighed. _She's probably lying. There has to be more reasons behind that dress. You don't just go out and buy someone a dress…that's just weird. _The silver hedgehog scooped up her tray and headed off to throw her garbage away. In the corner of her eye, she spotted something strange. Out-of-the ordinary. As she dumped the food scraps into the garbage, she faced the way that she spotted the thing. It was a dark hedgehog – wait! Shadow! _Should I talk to him and go out of my comfort zone, or pretend not to see him and act either clumsy or ignorant? _Selene overcame her tense sensation and strolled over to the table where Shadow was sitting, enjoying his lunch. "Hi…"

Shadow's ruby eyes poked up, first tense but then softened. "Oh, hi. Thank goodness you're here right now, this is probably the first time in about a week where I've gone out in public and not be tackled down by Tori."

"Victoria does have an obsessive nature," Selene puffed, taking a seat across from her friend. "Everyone needs some space sometimes."

"Yeah. For example, there's this air-cruise going on – you know, for those rich people – and she invited me. I would have loved to say no, but I don't want to disappoint her since she paid a lot of money just so I could come." Shadow took a big slurp of his coke and inhaled. "Talking about that, she gave me an extra ticket to invite a friend. I want to invite you, if that's okay."

The silver hedgehog's stomach churned with anxious and excitement at the same time. "Okay, I'll go." _Sometimes you have to make sacrifices just to get people to like you. _"Thanks. What time and where?" Selene asked.

"It's tomorrow, Sunday. We're boarding the airship at 5 PM at the Selstice Skyharbor and we'll be back around 8. Since it is a very formal event, I would recommend a dress," Shadow instructed. "We'll be flying over some big-name cities like Spagonia and Apotos."

"Cool, I've always wanted to see Spagonia," Selene alleged. "Thanks again. I'll see you around then!" Selene waved, jumping off her chair and returning to Gemini's table. "Gemini, guess what? Shadow just invited me to this air-cruise!" Selene squealed.

"Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh!" Gemini said in one breath. "That's like, totally awesome! You're so lucky! It must be one of those fancy ones that cost thousands of dollars just for a few hours in the air," the lynx giggled. "You get to go for free!"

Selene shrugged. "I'm a bit nervous though. Tori's going to be there…"

"Pft, who cares about Tori? The focus here is you and Shadow. You two are going to have a great time! And you could also confess your true feelings like they do in those movies!"

"Wait, what?" Selene asked, a blush creeping up on her cheeks.

"You heard me, hedgy! You're going to go like," -this is when Gemini starts using her amazing voice acting skills– "'Shadow, thing is, I love you!' and Shadow will be like, 'OMG, me too!' and then you kiss. It's the perfect scene!" Gemini exclaimed.

_I don't think she knows how Shadow acts. _"You're mistaken though…" Selene bit her lip. "I'm not in love with Shadow…or at least, I know he doesn't feel the same way back."

"Oh…okay." Gemini's ears pinned back in shame. "Sorry, I guess. Do make me a promise though?" She held out her pinky. "Pinky swear that you'll have a good time?"

Selene hooked her silver pinky around Gemini's golden one. "Pinky swear."

* * *

><p>The silver hedgehog observed the outside environment, sitting on the edge of her window. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. <em>Gemini was acting so strange today. The dress and the air-cruise? She's not like her tomboyish, looking-out-for-trouble side like always. <em>Selene rested her back against the window frame, exhaling. _She also thinks that I'm in love with Shadow. _She brushed one of the two large bangs out of her face, exposing her indigo face. _Well, am I? Am I moving too fast? A week ago I awakened in a hospital because I attempted to kill myself for being so…horrible. I wasn't doing it for attention. I wanted to die. I'm not pretty…wait. If I want to be pretty, that means that I wanted to impress someone. I wanted to be loved by someone. _Selene's eyes widened. _I'm in love with Shadow. _


	6. Chapter 6: Out of Boundaries

**Chapter Six**

Selene cuddled a large, white bunny plush, awakening with dark bags under her eyes. She yawned, stretching, and slowly adjusted to the lighting in her room. Realizing her bed was warm and comfortable, she refused to get up and held the bunny closer to her, burying her face into the white fluff. The door swung open and Aurora marched in, her hair shiny and clean like always. "Wake up, morning 'hog!" she chirped. "Hey, what's this?" Selene groaned and pulled the bunny over her as Aurora walked to the corner of the room where the golden bag containing the dress that Gemini bought lay. She opened the bag and peeked in. "Whoa, a dress? What's this for?"

"Aifcruife," Selene mumbled under her plush. Aurora, not hearing clearly, walked over and pulled the plush off of Selene and crossed her arms. "I said Air-cruise. Shadow invited me yesterday so Gemini bought me something to wear."

"Oh, cool! That's so nice of her to do. What time's the air-cruise? I would love to do your makeup and drive you there."

"The airship is departing at five and will arrive back here at eight."

"Awesome. Can't wait until then, Selene!" The golden hedgehog beamed, then spun around and exited. "Oh, make sure you've showered by three. Then I'll apply my makeup magic," Aurora winked. She spun around and left.

Selene got out of bed, yawning. _I'll never be a morning hedgehog, that's for sure. _

* * *

><p>The silver hedgehog gazed at the television screen, bored. She switched through a few channels before deciding to watch an anime. Someone poked her shoulder, making her jump. She looked over and frowned at seeing Aurora smirking. "Come on, Selene. It's three; you know what that means, right?" She pulled her sister off the couch and dragged her upstairs. "Go put your dress on. I'll be here gathering my supplies," Aurora commanded.<p>

"Okay," Selene nodded. She walked back into her room and pulled out her dress from the bag. _This really is a nice dress. Tonight's a lot like the night of the dance, except this time there won't be anything out-of-the-ordinary. _Selene zipped up the dress and returned to the bathroom. She gazed at her reflection. The dress was the same shade of indigo as her eyes; it was a simple dress with a small crease by the torso and ruffles coming from that crease.

Aurora pulled out a seat and began combing Selene's quills. Once she began applying make up with a paint-brush like object, Selene closed her eyes. The smell of that powder overwhelmed her nostrils. Finally she opened her eyes to see what Aurora had done. "Aurora…" Selene muttered, "It looks wonderful…"

The yellow hedgehog put her hands on her lips, smiling at her artwork. "I'm glad you like it. I decided not to go over the top like I did on the night of the dance. I know you can get Shadow without that make up; I guess that kind of goes against Tori's psychology, doesn't it?" Aurora giggled. "Come on, we're late. Let's go!"

* * *

><p>Selene, feeling over-pampered, sat next to Aurora in the car, which was darting across the city. The silver hedgehog twiddled her fingers in her lap as tall skyscrapers past by and eventually grew less crowded as they approached the airport. "Thanks," Selene breathed, "for everything, Aurora. It really means a lot to me."<p>

"No problem," Aurora beamed, keeping the eyes on the road but mentally giving Selene a high-five. She turned into the parking lot and made the car lower causing it to make a small THUD! as the rusty metallic bottom contacted the ground. "Still a piece of crap car," the golden hedgehog joked, with a pretended annoyance in her tone. "Good luck. Better kick some fox butt!" she winked.

"Bye!" Selene said, grabbing her handbag and heading out. The air was nice and warm making her jacket that she wore over her navy dress feel like it was a bit too much.

The Mobian looked ahead to spot a large, white aircraft that looked like a mix of a zeppelin and airplane, where a metal platform was coming from a door, allowing Mobians aboard. Shadow was ahead with Tori; he was wearing a suit that looked expensive (that Tori probably bribed him into wearing since she was wearing a purple sundress for the occasion.) Tori held onto Shadow's hand, which Selene knew the dark hedgehog absolutely hated – there was nothing worse than to invade his personal space.

"Oh, hi Selene!" Tori smiled unusually. This was odd…she was never this friendly to the silver hedgehog. Especially since it was Shadow that invited her; perhaps it's the fact that tonight was a special (and expensive) occasion, so better make it worth it than make it horrible.

The silver hedgehog waved, a small smile spreading across her face. "H-Hi…" she mutters. It's not that bad being recognized by someone who has fame like Tori.

"Come on! The aircraft is leaving soon, we'd better go before it flies without us," Tori exclaimed, waving her hand towards the direction of the zeppelin-plane-like craft.

* * *

><p>Like most fancy outings, the aircraft had a large room where tables aligned with white cloth and fancy silverware, just what bored Selene. Next to the arrangements of tables was a large span of hardwood floor, in the corner a raised platform where a band was performing. Tori led the two other hedgehogs to a table, where a waiter dressed in a tuxedo that looked fancier than Shadow's suit, though a lower 'social' level on this ride came to attend us. He handed us some menus and asked us for drinks. Selene ordered some water while Shadow got a coke and Tori got some special beverage that Selene never heard of called a Shirley Temple, which was pretty much a lemon-lime soda with cherry juice added. Selene could never stand that high amount of sugar.<p>

Selene looks through the overwhelming menu a bit unsure what to get. There was such a large selection, ranging from soups to steaks, making it very difficult for her to choose. Selene closed her eyes and waved her finger around the page, slamming it down on the menu for my choice: it landed on Alfredo Fettucini pasta. She went with that, since the silver one wasn't in the mood for over-the-top meals.

She peers over my menu to notice a little blue cat with pigtails sitting all by herself while her little sister, a golden cat, play with Mobians from other families. The blue cat looks down at her lap while lowering her eyes – Selene feels pity. Unfortunately Selene doesn't get enough courage to stand up and walk over to her and invite her to play with the other Mobians, since she hates getting all the attention on her. She sits in place, pinning her hands down with her legs to prevent herself from standing up, and gaze at the blue Mobian. She realizes why she felt so many emotions for this Mobian – she was like her; an outcast.

"Selene," a dark, yet warm voice echoes through her ears. "Selene!" The female hedgehog realizes that Shadow was calling her name; she turns to look at him. His crimson orbs seemed larger and rather relaxed and a small smile twists on his lips. "Are you okay? You seem to be zoning out there."

"O-Oh…" she mutters, pushing a wisp of silver hair out of her face while blushing. She looks around to notice that Tori was gone. "What happened to Tori?" the female hedgehog asked.

"Her dad called her over, looks like he's having a big talk with her on another platform of the ship. It'll be probably an hour before she gets down here again," Shadow replied. "What's going on?"

Selene pushed back in her chair nervously, feeling uncomfortable sharing her feelings. "Well…you see that Mobian over there?" she said, pointing to the lonesome one. "I-I feel like I need to do something."

"Why not?" Shadow asked.

"I-I'm j-just not brave enough, th-that's why…"

"Come on, Selene. You can do it," Shadow motivated. _"You need to do what your heart tells you to." _

Those words hit Selene hard. She gazed over and narrowed her eyes, nodding. "Alright, just this time though." The silver one puffed her pale cheek and walked over to the blue cat, kneeling down next to her. "H-hey," she said nervously.

The blue cat looked up to her with her glossy green eyes, making it look like she was on the verge of crying. "Hullo," she said with an accent. She was from a different part of Mobius and traveled to the famous Selstice city.

"Why are you all alone? Don't you want to make friends?" Selene asked in a worried tone.

"I-I'm not good at making friends," the small Mobian whimpered.

"I am not either," Selene acknowledged, "but it's better just to try rather than to stay on the sidelines and watch. Trust me." The cat looked down again, kicking her feet. "Come on, please…" Selene pleaded, holding out her hand. "It's not that hard."

Deciding whether to trust the stranger or not, the cat grabbed the hedgehog's hand and used it to pull herself off the seat and onto the wooden floor. She trotted to her sister and joined their circle of friends, smiling. Selene smiled and headed back to the table.

"Nice going," Shadow complimented, making Selene's cheeks burn. "See, not that bad, am I right?" He crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. The silver hedgehog agreed. "Am I the only one not hungry?"

"Nope," Selene giggled. "Aurora wouldn't let me leave the house until my stomach was full, so I can't even look at food without getting an odd feeling in my stomach," the silver hedgehog noted, touching her stomach.

The music's melody went lower and couples moved out to the dance floor. I felt a tugging on my dress and looked down to see a group of small Mobians, including the blue cat that I helped earlier, look at me. "Is that your boyfriend?" one of them squeaked. Another one poked through the crowd. "You should dance with him!"

"W-Well, I mean…he's not my _boyfriend_," Selene said, smiling sheepishly.

"Dance with him!" the small Mobians demanded. "Come on, please!"

"Why not?" Shadow asked, touching Selene's hand. "You asked them to get along, now they're asking us…why not return the favor?" An uncharacteristic grin spread across his face.

"O-Okay," Selene responded, holding Shadow's hand and covering her reddened face. She looked down to the blue cat that she had befriended earlier, who was now winking.

"Good luck," the cat said silently.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys, sorry for the 2 month wait ;A; I've been getting addicted to Hetalia so I've not been writing any Sonic stuff. I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D<strong>


	7. Chapter 7: The Dance

**Chapter Seven**

Selene stood in front of Shadow, hand in hand, and locking a stare. She felt severely nervous, to the point that she was shaking enough that even Shadow noticed. The dark hedgehog's expression changed.

"What's wrong?" he asks, pulling Selene closer so that she could answer at the volume where only Shadow could hear. She looked down at her shoes, but her glance escaped as the black hedgehog raised her chin with his finger.

"I-I'm just nervous," the hedgehog alleged, shrugging. "I-I've never danced before."

"It's fine," Shadow joked.

Selene pulled Shadow in more of a hug-kind of position and just moved in place. It was awkward for him, but at least it was better than trying to tango or something. She closed her eyes and let the music overtake her soul.

_That night…that Friday night…it was the one where I attempted to commit suicide. I was supposed to dance with Shadow…but he danced with Tori. He didn't want to, but if he didn't, then he was forced to do it. He hates that fox more than a cat despises water. _

_ He's also been acting strange lately…softer maybe? Does it have to connect to that past event? _

Selene's eyes shut, trying to focus, but it was no use. These thoughts and feelings had flooded her mind.

_Maybe I am where I belong. _

_In Shadow's arms. _

_Just the two of us._

_And some soft background music. _

Like a fairytale, Selene pictured her dress transforming into a puffy golden dress that resembled her sister's fur color. Silver chains were clipped between her quills. Her indigo eyes sparkled as they met with a set of soft ruby ones. The 'prince' in front of her had his spikes shined and was sprayed with cologne – enough was sprayed so it wouldn't overwhelm the senses.

Selene looked at the sidelines, where her royal parents were seated, along with Aurora, who was in a smaller seat but still symbolized with power. They smiled and told her to go on.

The lighting dimmed, making Selene feel sleepy, the only thing keeping her awake was the hedgehog she was dancing with. In a world so perfect for her needs, a vast world within her own imagination, could become reality after all.

"_And so the prince and princess lived happily ever after," Aurora read, clenching onto the large edges of the book with her tiny toddler hands. She looked up and smiled. "One day, I'm going to marry a prince and we will be king and queen!" she declared. "What do you want to be when you grow up, Selene?"_

"_I want to be super powerful," the silver hedgehog said, beaming. "I want to save people like Sonic the hedgehog! I want to run fast like him too!" _

_The sister hugged the younger one. "That's so cute! Oh, and when I'm queen, I'll make sure that you'll be the coolest hedgehog around, and that's a promise!" _

"_Pinky promise?" Selene giggled, holding out her pinky._

"_Pinky promise."_

It had been hidden in her for so long – Selene _was _a princess. It was something that she hadn't realized until now. Inner beauty is what she had – from a cracking, cold surface was a girl that avoided all the clichés and was seen as an outcast. On the inside, she had what was required to be normal. Everyone was normal on the inside.

The music was perfect – slow, almost at the end. To her prince, she whispered: "I love you."

She leaned forward and pressed her lips against his – her cheeks burned with excitement and her stomach churned with love. It couldn't have been more perfect. It was a kiss like she had read in all her childhood books, a kiss seen in romantic movies – irreplaceable.

Selene's eyes flew open as she realized that she had been in her imagination world again. Shadow's face was in front of her, his eyes closed. That warm feeling was still on her lips…she had really kissed him! The female hedgehog jumps back in surprise as the black and red one mirrored her movements.

_I had kissed Shadow the hedgehog. _

_What have I done? He's not even mine! _

Selene hastened out of the room and onto the sky-patio – a small area built outside of the air cruiser. She leaned over on the metallic rails and rubbed her eyes with her fingers. "I…I kissed Shadow…" she muttered to herself. "What if Tori saw that?" She felt tears roll down the edges of her eyes and slip down her cheeks.

_A familiar hooded figure approached a dark bird Mobian. The bird had quills tied back and spiking in many different directions and was wearing some sort of kimono. "It has worked," the bird alleged. "They have kissed."_

"_Perfect," the character in the hood exclaims. "Now I'll have my little brother take care of the rest. If you interfere, things can go even worse than the damage he will already cause. So do me a favor and stay out of it, okay?" _

_The bird nodded. "I'll see you later, _."_

"What was that?" Selene whispered to herself. "I swear I saw something similar to that before. After Mizu saved my life, wasn't it? At least that hooded figure with a Turkish accent. Odd that that's one of the only things I remember." A sudden alarm caused Selene to jump in place, squeaking. She noticed the surfaces around her turn orange, her skin reflecting the color.

The aircraft had burst into flames.

She spotted Shadow sprinting through the entrance, his eyes widened. "SELENE!" he yelled. His presence felt strange, especially after Selene had kissed him. "SELENE! JUMP!" Frozen in place, the silver hedgehog couldn't comprehend what he had said. His words seemed blurred out for some reason – her anxiety. The black and red hedgehog glided to her. "DIDN'T YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID?!" he screamed.

Before Selene knew it, Shadow had grabbed her and jumped off the patio and she was now soaring through clouds by his side.


End file.
